Home Comfort

Here at Wyke, we’re deeply aware of our connection to Somerset. As well as the traditions of dairy-farming and cheesemaking, which we’ve been part of for centuries, we are deeply invested in the countryside around us, and in preserving it for future generations to enjoy as we have.

This commitment to our home extends, of course, to its people. Like any member of a community, we want to be a positive force for good. So, as well as farming as responsibly and sustainably as we can, we’re always engaged with the activities around us, and we support a range of local initiatives from children’s sports team to life-changing charities.

One of the great projects we’re proud to support is Children’s Hospice South West. For more than three decades, they have been a lifeline for families across the region who are caring for babies, children and young people with life-limiting and life‑threatening conditions. The charity operates three specialist children’s hospices: Little Bridge House in Devon, Charlton Farm in North Somerset and Little Harbour in Cornwall. Each hospice provides respite, palliative care, end‑of‑life support and bereavement care for families navigating the most challenging circumstances.

At the end of last year, a group from Wyke, including Marketing Manager Jennifer Gray and Events Manager Debbie Fewell, visited Charlton Farm to experience the amazing work that the staff do at first hand. Their approach is built around caring not only for the child but for the whole family, providing services including short breaks, symptom management, emotional support and emergency care. With multiple specialists at the centre, they can ensure that each family receives support that’s tailored to each individual throughout every stage of their journey, from diagnosis through to end‑of‑life care and beyond. Charlton Farm is a calm, home‑from‑home environment where families can rest, reconnect and spend valuable time together in spaces ranging from games and soft-play rooms to a hydrotherapy pool and music & sensory room which help to create moments of comfort and joy.

The charity supports nearly 500 families annually, yet more than 1,000 families across the South-West are living with a life‑limited child. With limited government funding, the organisation relies heavily on voluntary donations, fundraising events and community partnerships to sustain its services. The cost of running three children’s hospices is over £16 million each year, and £5 million to run Charlton Farm alone, so all of us at Wyke are really proud to take part in the events they run and to offer help wherever we can.

Beyond this, one of the most meaningful ways we contribute is by supplying the kitchen team at Charlton Farm with cheese and butter for the family meals prepared on site, every week. This regular commitment is incredibly important to us. Food brings people together, it offers comfort, creates connection and provides moments of warmth and normality during the hardest times. Playing this small part in helping families who are facing unimaginable challenges is humbling, but it also gives us great pleasure to reach out and feel this connection in our community.

If you’d like to donate, contribute or find out more about Children’s Hospice South West, you’ll find them at chsw.org.uk